Saw the link on shade structures and wanted to put my $.02 in for using trees for shade. This works particularly good if they are planted on the south and west side of the playground. I'm the tree guy in our town as well as the playground guy. So I thought I'd suggest a few super trees that are tough and fast growing
'Accolade' Elm- this hybrid elm grows 3 to four feet a year for us and doesn't seem to need watering after the 1st year even in dry spells. It is resistant to Dutch Elm disease and Phloem Necrosis- the two big problems with American Elm. Grows fast to 50 feet tall and wide. Classic Vase shape of an American Elm.
'Homestead' Elm- another new elm variety with elcellent disease resistance and fast growth- this one grows a little more upright than the first. Can reach 36 feet tal and 25 feet wide in 12 years.
'Bloodgood' London Plane Tree- A fast growing disease resistant hybrid of the asian sycamore and american sycamore. Grows to 70 feet tall and equal or greater width.
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)- for us in Maryland this is by far and away the fastest growing of the oaks. Easily reaches 60' or more tall and wide.
Japanese Pagoda Tree- Fast growth to50 to 75' tall and wide. Creamy white chains of flowers in July.
Japanese Zelkova- many named varieties to choose from. Looks quite alot like an elm. Grows quickly to 50 to 60 feet tall and wide.
All of these will grow one or two climate zones colder than here in Maryland.
This is GREAT information! Thanks so much for sharing, I will definitely be using this advice in communities and playspaces throughout the country.
Trees are a safety hazard – stay away from that thought. Invest in a shade structure - they're low maintenance and some manufacturers are now guaranteeing them for as much as 7 years.
http://www.creativesystems.com
I can't even believe you wrote that- I'm too blown away by the post to calmly respond. You sell equipment, right?
We must remember that most of the people visiting these forums are novices when it comes to planning playgrounds, and so I think it is important to point out that yes, there are some good tree choices for shade and that yes, there are risks associated with using trees for shade. We come here to the forums to learn and get more information. I was not saying there was a liability in choosing trees for shade...what I was saying was that improperly chosen and improperly placed trees do present a hazard. I've been to playgrounds where the roots have been higher than the mulch level, and they were, and are, a trip hazard. I've been to playgrounds with wet leaves on decks that are slick, particularly if the deck is made of wood. I'm not thinking "liability" so much as I am thinking of my own two children, who will be playing on this particular playground that I am working on 180 days a year, and knowing that playground maintenance and inspections are only as good as the people doing them... I'm not worried about successful litigations so much as I'm worried about them slipping and tripping, along with the other 400 kids at the school. We have trees on our playground, but not to shade the playstructures--to shade benches in the distance. And yes, maintenance and inspection of the trees is going to have to occur regularly, for those reasons I mentioned. I do not want our playspace to become one of those that I mentioned with roots that trip kids/adults, wet leaves on the decks, dead limbs coming down, and so forth. There's enough of those around... people have to be informed from the start so that they can plan accordingly. If they don't understand the reasons behind choosing certain trees and where to place them (or not), then they won't be prepared to maintain them either way.
OUR PLAYGROUND IS WAY TOO BIG FOR SHADE STRUCTURES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE TREES INTEGRATED NEAR PLAY AREAS. THE HOTTEST SPOTS IN THE SUMMER ARE ALSO VERY DRY IN THE SUMMER, BUT THEY ARE EXTREMELY WET,WITH LARGE PUDDLES, IN THE FALL AND SPRING. IS THERE A TYPE OF TREE THAT CAN HANDLE THESE ADVERSE CONDITIONS AND DO WELL IN MICHIGAN?
Both of the elms I listed should do well in those conditions. I would stick with those two varieties as 'Homestead' and 'Accolade' are both resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. You may have to hunt a little to find them. For sure they're available on the internet. Other elm varieties are reported to be resistant but sometimes that is a little unclear.
If they are within the playground, box out the area around them. They won't tolerate placement of 10 inches of wood fiber over the roots. Also be sure the trees and the timbers around them are outside the fall zones of the equipment. We generally place them west of the equipment. Morning sun is generally desirable and afternoon shade is also what you want.
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